5 WARM-WEATHER ESCAPES TO BEAT THE WINTER BLUES | MY FAVORITE SUNNY GETAWAYS

ALEXANDRA

7 hours ago

3 min read

Pool and beach view at Marquis Los Cabos

By mid-January, I'm usually ready to trade my winter coat for a beach chair.

If you're dreaming about warm sand, turquoise water and a seafood dinner by the ocean right about now, this one's for you.

These are my favorite places to escape the cold — each one for a slightly different kind of trip.

1. ARUBA

Woman in a bikini stands on a boat deck, gazing at turquoise water and a palm-lined tropical beach under a clear blue sky.

Best for: Guaranteed sunshine + easy island days

Aruba is one of those places where you can pretty much count on the weather, which is exactly what you want when you're escaping winter.

If you do one thing, book a clear kayak tour. We paddled out from Santo Largo Beach in Savaneta, glided over coral reefs and colorful fish, and walked through the mangrove canals at Isla de Oro. It was easily one of the most memorable mornings of the trip.

And then there's the food.

For dinner with your feet in the sand, go to The Flying Fishbone. For a casual, very local lunch, stop at Zeerovers, where the day's catch decides the menu.

THE VIBE: Sunny, relaxed, easy.

DON'T MISS: Clear kayaking + dinner at The Flying Fishbone.

2. KAUAI, HAWAII

Green cliffs and turquoise water on the Nā Pali Coast, Kauai

Best for: A bucket-list week of adventure

Kauai is green, dramatic and absolutely worth the long flight — just give yourself at least a week.

My biggest tip: split your stay between the north and south shores. Princeville on the north shore puts you close to Hanalei and the Nā Pali Coast, and Poipu on the south shore has the best sunsets. The two are about 1.5 hours apart, so staying in one place means a LOT of driving.

See the Nā Pali Coast by boat or by air if you can. Both are unforgettable.

THE VIBE: Lush, adventurous, slow island mornings.

TIP: Rent a Jeep.

3. LOS CABOS, MEXICO

Woman in the open-air lobby at Marquis Los Cabos

Best for: A luxe, adults-only reset

I went to Cabo with my dad to celebrate his 70th birthday, and we stayed at Marquis Los Cabos, an adults-only, all-inclusive resort right on the Sea of Cortez.

It sits along the Tourist Corridor, about 15 minutes from San José del Cabo and 20 minutes from Cabo San Lucas. That's the sweet spot: galleries and restaurants in San José by day, the marina in Cabo San Lucas by night, and a quiet resort to come back to.

THE VIBE: Elevated, relaxing, ocean views from everywhere.

GOOD TO KNOW: Time your trip with Viva El Gonzo if you love live music.

4. 30A, FLORIDA

Tall palm trees lining a sunny street in Alys Beach, Florida

Best for: A short, easy beach trip

No passport, no long flight — just sugar-white sand and turquoise water along Scenic 30A.

Alys Beach is one of the most visually stunning towns I've ever visited, with whitewashed homes, hidden courtyards and stone-paved streets.

Rent bikes and ride the Timpoochee Trail, an 18-mile path that connects the beach towns along 30A. Get to Charlie's Donut Truck early, because it sells out. And if the water is calm, kayak from Western Lake in Grayton Beach State Park straight into the Gulf.

THE VIBE: Beachy, walkable, picture-perfect.

TIP: This one is best in late winter and spring, when it starts to warm up.

5. HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA

Bicycles on a Hilton Head Island beach at sunset

Best for: An early spring escape

Hilton Head isn't a midwinter beach destination, but it's one of my favorite places to go the moment winter starts to break.

Bike everywhere — there are more than 70 miles of paved paths, plus hard-packed sand you can ride at low tide. Then end every day with a waterfront seafood dinner and a sunset.

THE VIBE: Laid-back, green, very bike-friendly.

DON'T MISS: A sunset bike ride on the beach.